Braking system for cars.



PATENTED AUG. 8, 1905.

J. A. FIELD.

BRAKING SYSTEM FOR CARS.

APPLIOATION FILED JAN. 16, 1905 I 4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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No. 796,964. PATENTED AUG. 8, 1905.

J. A. FIELD. BRAKING SYSTEM FOR CARS.

APPLIGATION FILED JAN.16, 1905.

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No. 796,964. I PATENTED AUG. 8, 1905. J. A. FIELD.

BRAKING SYSTEM FOR CARS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 15, 1905.

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No. 796,964. PATENTED AUG. 8, 1905. I J. A. FIELD.

BRAKING SYSTEM FOR CARS.

APPLICATION rxnnnnn. 16, 1905.

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UNITED STATES JESSE A. FIELD, OF DUNKIRK, NEW YORK.

BRAKING SYSTEM FOR CARS- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 8, 1905. I

Application filed January 16, 1905. serial No. 241,386.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, J nssn A. FIELD, a citi- Zen of the United States, residing at Dunkirk, in the county of Chautauqua and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Braking Systems for Cars, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved braking system for street or railway cars or the like; and it consists of a power-operated brake which is manually controlled.

The main object of this invention is to construct a power-operated brake which can be applied with but slight alteration to cars equipped with the ordinary type of hand-brake now generally in use and which will relieve the motorman or car operator of the heavy labor incident to the setting of the ordinary hand-brake and, besides, provide a means for applying the brake much more powerfully.

The invention also relates to certain details of construction, all of which will be fully and clearly hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which a preferred adaptation of the invention is illustrated.

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the brake system of a trolley-car having the improved operating mechanism attached thereto, the frame of the car being shown in dotted lines. Fig.-

2 is an enlarged section on line a a, Fig. 3,

showing the brake set. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detached top plan view of one of the trucks of the car and the braking mechanism attached thereto. Fig. 4 is an inner end view of the truck and mechanism shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is an enlarged detached end view of the friction-disk which is secured on one of the axles of the truck. Fig. 6 is a detached central section through the friction-disk. Fig. 7 is an enlarged section on line Z2 I), Fig. 3, showing the friction-clutch and the braking mechanism. Fig. 8 is a transverse section on line 0 0, Fig. 7, the axle and wheels being shown in full and the motor being omitted. Fig. 9 is an enlarged detached end view of the segmental friction-ring. Fig. 10 is a transverse section through the segmental friction-ring. Fig. 11 is an enlarged fragmentary view of one of the car-axles, showing a section through the wheel and the friction-clutch secured thereto. Fig. 12 is an enlarged detached side view of the friction-clutch. Fig. 13 is an enlarged detached view of one of the segments or members of the stationary friction-ring. Fig. 14 is a section on line (Z (Z, Fig. 11.

In referring to the drawings for the details of construction like numerals designate like parts.

This improved brake is especially designed to be utilized in connection with the ordinary hand-brake system such as commonly used on trolley and like cars, but slight alteration being required to change that system into my improved system, in which the brake is applied by power derived from the rotation of the car-axle and controlled by a manually-operative brake-handle or other device within convenient reach of the motorman.

In the drawings, 1 indicates the car-body, which is shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1; 2, the car-trucks; 3, the axles; 4:, the wheels, and 5 the motors which furnish the motive power to drive the car.

.The brake-shoes 6 are supported in proximity to the wheels 4 by brake-beams 7 and are brought into contact with the wheels by a system of levers and connecting-rods.

' A truck dead lever 8 is pivoted at its upper end to a fulcrum-block 9 and at an intermediate point to one of the brake-beams 7. The

- lower end of the dead lever 8 is pivoted to one end of a bottom rod 10, the opposite end of which is pivoted to the lower end of a truck live lever 11. The live lever 11 is pivoted at an intermediate point to the other brake-beam 7 of the truck and at its upper end to one end of atop rod 12. The top rod 12 is pivoted at its other end to one end of a floating lever 13, which is supported in a bracket 14, secured to the car-frame. The opposite end of the floating lever 13 is secured to the lower end of the vertical brake-shaft 15 by means to be hereinafter described. The brake-shaft 15 is provided with the usual hand-wheel 16, by which the shaft 15 is rotated to set the brake. A connecting-rod 17 has one end pivoted to the floating lever 13 and its other end pivoted to about the middle of a floating lever 18. This floating lever 18 is connected to the brake mechanism on the other truck in the same manner as above described.

In the ordinary hand-brake system the ends of the floating levers 13 and 18 are connected by rods and chains directly to the shaft 15 of the hand-brake, and the power to move the floating levers and so set the brake is derived from rotating the shaft 15 by means of the hand-wheel 16 at its upper end. In this improved system, however, a friction-clutch is operated by the rotation of the hand-wheel 16, and a chain, one end of which is connected .9, 10, 11, and 12.)

to the end of the floating lever, is wound around a friction ring or drum forming one member of the friction-clutch. The heavy work necessary to set the brake is performed by the car itself through the rotation of one of its axles, and the motorman simply controls the application of the power by moving the members of the friction-clutch into and out of frictional engagement. adaptation of the friction-clutch, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, a disk 19 is se- I cured upon one of the axles 3 of each truck 2 and in close proximity to one of the car-wheels 4. The disk is preferably mounted upon the driving-axle and is rigidly fastened in place by bolts 20, which pass transversely through openings 21 in the disk 19 and in the carwheel 1. The bolt-heads are seated in countersunk depressions in the side of the disk,-

' friction-clutch, and a clutch member which is wholly or partly movable or shiftable is arranged in operative proximity to the fixed member and preferably consists of a sectional or segmental annulus, which constitutes both a winding ring or drum and a friction device. This segmental friction ring or drum 22 encircles the friction-disk l9 and is preferably made in three parts or segments, which are connected or held together by links 23, the ends of which are secured to the ends of the (See Figs. These segments when connected form a ring which normally loosely encircles the friction-disk and is contracted segments by bolts or screws 24.

The

The flanges 25 register with each other and together form a practically continuous inwardly-extending annular rib which fits loosely in an annular groove 27,

' formed in the periphery of the friction-disk 19. This rib prevents any lateral movement or displacement of the ring upon the disk. The outer flanges 26 together practically constitute a projecting wall which winds spirally one or more times around the outer periphery of the ring, and the convolutions thereof are sufliciently separated to provide a practically spiral groove or depression 28 therebetween.

(See Figs. 9 and 10.)

A chain 29 is wound around the ring 22,

v the coils of chain lying in the spiral groove In the preferred or depression 28 and being retained therein by the spiral wall, which is sufliciently high to prevent accidental displacement therefrom, as shown in Figs. 2, 3, 8, and 14. One end of the chain 29 'is carried backward and fastened to one end of a rod 30, the opposite end of which is pivoted to one end of the floating lever 13. (See Figs. 2 and 7.) The other end of the chain 29 is carried forward and secured to the end of a rod 31, which is connected to the lower end of the brake-shaft 15 by a chain 32.

In will be seen by referring to Fig. 13 that the openings 33 in the segments of the ring 22, through which the bolts or screws 24 pass, are elliptical, so that the ring may be contracted around the disk 19 and be frictionally locked thereto by rotating the hand-wheel 16, and thus pulling upon the outer end of the chain 29. By making the openings 33 elliptical or oval the segments not only have a radial movement toward or from the surface of the fixed member which they surround, but also a slight universal compensating movement to permit the segments to frictionally bear throughout their length against the fixed member and adjust themselves relatively to each other.

The operation of this mechanism is as follows: The motorman, wishing to stop the car, rotates the hand-wheel 16, which revolves the shaft 15, thereby winding around its lower end the chain 32. This pulls upon the outer end of the chain 29 and contracts the ring 22 around the friction-disk 19, as the inner end of the chain 29 is held practically stationary,

the resistance of the brake mechanism being sufficient to overcome the slight pull required to contract the ring 22. As the ring contracts it-is frictionally engaged or locked to the friction-disk 19, which is revolving with the wheels 1 and which now carries with it the ring 22. The chain 29 is tightened around the ring 22 by the continued rotation of the hand-wheel 16 by the motorman, and the friction of the chain upon the surface of the ring 22 practically locks them together and winds the 'chain around the ring 22, the slack being taken up by the rotation of the hand-wheel. This produces a powerful pull upon one end of the floating lever 13 by means of the rod 30 and sets the brake.

.It has been found by practical test that when a'cable or chain is wound or coiled twice or thrice around a revolving body and one end of the chain then fastened to a body offering a comparatively high resistance to movement a slight continued pull upon the other end of the cable or chain just suflicient to tighten the cable or chain around the revolving body and maintain it in tightened condition will develop a pull at the opposite or secured end of the cable or chain which is many times greater than the pull required to tighten the cable or chain around the revolving body, because the cable or chain is practically locked to the revolving body by friction and of course wound around said body.

In applying this improved brake the motorman or operator simply turns the hand-wheel sufficiently to contract the chain-coils around the segmental ring and the ring-segments into frictional engagement with the fixed memberof the clutch and then maintains suflicient tension upon the chain to retain the parts in their engaged position. The brake when applied stays in set position even after the car is stopped until the tension on the chain is removed by the rotation of the hand-wheel in the reverse direction, which provides for holding the car stationary when stopped on an incline.

I claim as my invention 1. A power-operated brake which may be applied with slight alteration to cars equipped with an ordinary hand-brake consisting simply in substituting brake applying mechanism which is operated by power derived from the rotation of the car-axle for the usual connection between the hand-wheel and braking element of the ordinary hand-brake; said brakeapplying mechanism including a friction device on a car-axle consisting of a plurality of linked-together segments and a chain having a plurality of convolutions around said friction device which are separated from wearing contact with each other.

'2. A power-operated brake which may be applied with slight alteration to cars equipped with an ordinary hand-brake and consisting simply in substituting brake-applying mechanism which is operated by power derived from the rotation of the car-axle for the usual connection between the hand-wheel and braking element of the ordinary hand-brake; said brake-applying mechanism including a friction device on a car-axle and comprising in part a sleeve having a plurality of linked-to gether segments and a chain having one or more convolutions around said sleeve.

3. In a car equipped with a hand-brake which is set manually by power applied wholly by the motorman or other operator and comprises a braking element, a; hand-wheel or the like and operative connection between the braking element and hand-wheel, the combination therewith of a frictionally-applied power mechanism which is substituted in lieu of the operative connection between the hand-wheel and the braking element and includes a friction device on one of the caraxles consisting at least in part of a plurality of linked-together elements and a chain having one or more convolutions around said friction device and connecting to the handwheel and the braking element, substantially as set forth.

4. In a brake of the class described, a car having an axle, a brake element, a friction device on said axle composed at least in part of a plurality of pivotally-linked elements, a manually-operative brake-controlling device and means connecting the brake element to the brake-controlling device and including at least in part a chain having one or more convolutions around the friction device.

5. In combination, a car having an axle, a brake element, a friction on said axle comprising at least in part a ring composed of a plurality of pivotally-linked segments, a manually-operative brake-controlling element and means connecting the brake element to the brake-controlling element and including a chain having one or more convolutions around the segmental ring.

6. In combination, a car having an axle, a brake element, a friction onsaid axle comprising at least in part a segmental ring, the segments of which are linked together and provided with one or more diagonal flanges separated sufficiently to provide recesses which together form a spiral groove winding around the segmental ring, a manually operative brake-controlling element and means connecting the brake element to the brake-controlling element and including a chain having one or more convolutions around the segmental ring and lying in the spiral groove between the diagonal flanges.

7 In combination, a car having an axle, a friction-clutch comprising a fixed member on said axle having an annular groove and an even plane peripheral surface on each side of said groove and a movable member consisting of a segmental annulus around said fixed member having an interior longitudinal rib extending into the annular groove of the fixed member for preventing lateral displacement of said segmental annulus, abraking element having operative connection to said segmental annulus and a hand-wheel or the like controlling the shifting of the segmental annulus into frictional engagement with the fixed member. v

8. In combination, a car having an axle, a friction-clutch comprising a fixed member on said axle having an annular groove and a movable member consisting of a segmental annulus around said fixed member having an interior longitudinal rib extending into the annular groove of the fixed member for preventing lateral displacement and a plurality of exterior diagonally-extending flanges constituting walls for a spiral peripheral groove, a braking element, a hand-wheel and a chain having connection to the braking element and the hand-wheel and one or more convolutions surrounding the segmental annulus and located in the spiral groove.

9. In combination, a car having an axle, a braking element, a hand-wheel or the like, a

friction mechanism on said car-axle including an annulus composed of segments and links plvotally connectlng said segments and means connecting the hand-wheel, braking element and friction mechanism including a chain having one or more coils around said annulus.

10. In combination, a car having an axle, a braking element, a hand-Wheel or the like, a friction mechanism on said car-axle including an annulus composed of segments having elliptical openings, connecting-links and pivots for connecting the links to the segments and extending through the elliptical openings of the segments and means connecting the handvvheel, braking element and friction mechanism including a chain having one or more coils around the annulus.

11. In combination, a car having an axle, a braking element, a hand-Wheel or the like, a friction mechanism in said ear-axle including an annulus composed of linked-together segments and means connecting the hand-Wheel, braking element and friction mechanism in eluding a chain having one or more coils around the annulus.

12. In combination, a car having an axle, a braking element, a hand-Wheel or the like, a friction mechanism on said car-axle including i an annulus composed of segments and links pivotally connecting said segments; said segments being permitted to have a slight universal compensating movement for adjustment, and means connecting the hand-Wheel, braking element and friction mechanism ineluding a chain having one or more coils around the annulus.

1 3. In combination, a car having an axle, a braking element, a hand-Wheel or the like, a friction device including an annulus Which constitutes both a Winding-drum and a friction element and consisting of a plurality of linked-together segments and a connection between the aforesaid elements or some of them which consists at least in part of achain having one or more eonvolutions around the segmental annulus.

14. In combination, a car having an axle, a braking element, a hand-Wheel or the like, a friction mechanism on said ear-axle including an annulus composed of elements and links pivotally connecting said elements and means connecting the hand-Wheel, braking element and friction mechanism including a chain having one or more coils around the annulus.

JESSE A. FIELD.

Witnesses:

.L. M. SANesTER,

GEO. A. NEUBAUER. 

